Reeves Colored Pencils

12-36 count pack

Wax Core

Hexagonal Barrel

Budget-priced

Pros:

Durable

Pretty Good Color

Great Price

Cons:

Sub-par Blending

A Bigger Color Selection Wouldn’t Hurt

Reeves Colored Pencils Review

Reeves Colored Pencils are one of the many budget and student-oriented options out there on the market. Anybody looking to get a good set of starter pencils should definitely consider these. For the price, these provide good color and layering properties. The strong 3.8mm wax lead has been proven to be durable and easy to sharpen. These hexagonal pencils are available in 12 to 36 pack sets.

Visual Appeal – 4/5

These have relatively vivid hues and come off on most paper mediums quite easily. Blending is decent but this is a relatively hard wax compound compared to some of the softer (and oftentimes more expensive) options available so it might require a bit more labor than anticipated.

That being said, these pencils layer quite well which opens up some pretty unique coloring approaches. This is a bit of a rare thing for student-level pencils to possess and is a walking treat. However, one issue is the lack of available colors. The largest option is only a 36 pack so if you are wanting to delve into some more unique color approaches it is going to require some blending or having another set of pencils as a backup. However, the colors that are available are well-sorted so you should have a decent choice no matter where on the color wheel you want to go. You will notice that there are a lot of greens and blues which makes these very good for landscape pieces (beach and forests).

Usability and durability – 4/5

These keep their point quite well and can handle any abuse thrown at them. Blending will require a bit of work but the hexagonal exterior offers a good grip and helps in control. It seems like these were targeted for novice users and the usability levels they have is on point with this. They are also tough enough for classroom settings. It is worth noting that some of the older Reeves seem to come with round barrels. We definitely prefer the newer, hexagonal ones.

Packaging and Presentation – 3/5

Reeves Colored Pencils are a budget pencil so it would be surprising to see these come in a fancy metal tin or box. Sure enough, they come in a conventional cardboard pouch. While nothing eye-catching, it is still better than some of the cheap plastic sleeves some similarly-priced competitors offer. The pencils themselves are colorless except for a colored tip that represents that pencil’s respected color and a purple accent right above. It’s a very average look.

Also, there has appeared to be a recent update to the styling of the box these come in. This, along with some of these pencils coming with a hexagonal barrel vs. a round barrel, shows that Reeves is actively looking for ways to improve their product.

Cost – 4/5

Being in the budget range, these are quite affordable and a decent set can be had for quite cheap. Compared to other beginner and hobbyist pencils in the same price range, these definitely hold their own. There is nothing fancy about these, from their performance to their packaging, but what they do they do well.

Overall Ranking – 4/5

Reeves colored pencils are a good quality product for a great price. These will last for a while and are very user-friendly. Some slight grievances such as not being the best at blending (mostly due to the relatively hard wax core that these have) can easily be overlooked when you look at their good price. It would also be nice to have a few more color selections but the varied colors available should still satisfy most. Anybody trying to find a nice, affordable option for their students or kids should give this a go.

*It is worth noting that according to one of our readers there is a lot of overlap between Reeves and Fantasia colored pencils where the cores may be the same. We are looking into this more and will provide an update when we can*

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